Machine for loading grain-shocks.



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MACHINE FOR LOADING GRAIN SHOCKS APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 13, 1911.

1,022,21 4. Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

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MERTON E. WEEKS, OF LAKE BENTON, MINNESOTA.

MACHINE FOR LOADING GRAIN-SHOCKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 13, 1911.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

Serial No. 532,977.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Mnn'roN E. \Vnmts, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lake Benton, in the county of Lincoln and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Loading Grain-Shocks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to shock loaders, and the principal object of the same is to provide a loader of the type specified which can be readily operated as the machine is propelled, and in which novel means are provided for adjusting the conveyor to facilitate removing the shocks from the ground.

The invention also contemplates a novel removable body for the loader which can be manipulated to remove the same :from or replace the body on the running gear.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the improved shock loader. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view in rear elevation. Fig. 5 is a detail view in side elevation of the gearing for driving the conveyer belt. Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 77, Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side view of the conveyer belt and frame. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of the front fork or scoop of the conveyer.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals it will be seen that the improved loader comprises a vehicle that includes the body 10 mounted upon the front and rear bolsters 11 which carry the axles 12, said axles being provided with the wheels 18 one of which has its tread surface 14 roughened to prevent slipping. The usual reach 15 connects the axles. The lower longitudinal edges of the sides of the body 10 are provided with racks 16 which are engaged by the gears 17 carried by a shaft 18 mounted in bearings 19 carried by the rear axle. One end portion of the shaft 18 has a sprocket 20 fast thereon over which a chain 21 passes. The chain 21 also engages a sprocket 22 carried by a stub shaft 23 projecting laterally from the upper end of a standard 24 that is carried by one end of a beam 25. The beam 25 is carried by and extends transversely of the central portion of the reach 15 and the end thereof that carries a standard 24 projects laterally beyond one side of the body 10. A crank handle 26 is carried by the shaft 23 so that said shaft can be manually rotated and communicate its rotary power to the shaft 18 and thereby cause the gears 1.7 to move the body 1.0 longitudinally of the running gear. The described manner of adjusting the body 10, permits said body to be dumped to deposit its load and afterward restored to position to be loaded, as will be readily understood.

A rigid horizontal base frame projects from the forward end of the running gear, said frame including the spaced parallel bars 27, the rear portions of which are equipped with swingle-trces 28 to which the draft animals are attached and the forward ends equipped with rings 29 to which the usual neck yokes are attached. Vertical standards 30 are carried by the rear portions of bars 27 and have rearwardly curved upper ends 31. which overhang the forward end of the body 10. The upper end of the standards 30 are connected by the shaft 32 that is ournaled in and projects through the upper ends of the pa 'allel side members 33 of the conveyer frame, and said shaft obviously pivotally suspends said members 33 from said standards 30. Members 33 incline forwardly in a downward direction and their lower ends are connected by the shaft 214. The shaft 34, within the conveyor frame provided with a pair of sprockets 35, and shaft 32 is similarly equipped with sprockets 36. Sprockets 35 and 36 are connected by the endless chains 37, said chains carrying the slats 38 from which the teeth 39 project. The chains 37, slats 38, and teeth 39 obviously constitute an endless belt for delivering shocks to the body 10.

The lower ends of the side members 33 of the conveyer frame have their under surfaces beveled so that they will readily slide over the ground and said lower ends are connected by the bar 40 which has elongated forwardly projecting teeth -11 which scoop up the shocks and deliver the same to the conveyer belt. The side members 33 at intermediate points on their lower longitudinal surfaces are provided with longitudinally slotted guide plates 42 and a rod 43 extends through said plates. The rod 43 carries grooved rollers tt that engage the upper and lower portions of the slots in the plates 42 and said rod has end cranks 45 that are mounted on a rock shaft 43 which extends through bearings l6 carried by the bars 27, one of said cranks being connected to an elongated rearwardly extending hand lever 47. Adjacent bearings d6, one of the bars 27 carries a rack bar 47 that is engaged by a hand operated pawl 48 carried by a lever 47. With this arrangement it will be clear that by rocking the lever 4-7, the conveyer can be adjusted relative to the grooved or other surface over which the loader travels. The free end of the lever 47 projects adjacent the forward end of the vehicle so that said lever can be operated from the rear of the draft animals.

One of the forward wheels of the vehicle has a sprocket d9 fastened on its hub and said sprocket has an endless chain connection 50 with a sprocket ring 51 that is pro vided with offset spokes 52 radiating from a hub 53 loose on the shaft 32 of the conveyer. The sprocket ring 51 is provided with internal teeth 54: which engage gears mounted on stub shafts 56 disposed on opposite sides of the shaft 32, said gears being in mesh with a gear 57 fast on said shaft 32.

The body 10 is provided with an end gate 58 that has laterally projecting studs 59 at the upper portion of its ends which pivotally engage the rear end of the body 10. Lugs 60 project laterally from the central portions of the ends of the gate 58 and are engaged by the hooks 61 that are pivotally connected to the body 10.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the body 10 can be readily moved rearwardly by the running gear so that it will tilt, and by releasing the latching levers 62 from the lugs 60, the gate 59 will swing to an open position so that the load will be de posited on the ground. It will also be clear that the conveyer will pick up the shocks and deposit the same in the body 10 and that said conveyer can be readily adjusted to regulate the distance of its free end from the ground.

In operation, a forward movement of the vehicle, through the described train. of gearing 49, 50, 51, 55, and 56 between one of the forward wheels and the conveyer shaft 32 rotates the conveyer in a direction to feed the shocks to the body 10. In order to throw the endless belt for delivering the shocks into and out of engagement with the shaft 32 the toothed wheel 50 is loosely mounted on the shaft 32 and is engaged and disengaged therewith by means of a clutch sleeve 63 which with the gear wheel 37 is mounted on an extension of the shaft 32, the clutch sleeve 63 being slidably mounted on the shaft 32 by means of a pin 64- on said shaft engaging a longitudinal slot 65 in the sleeve 63, which is movable on the shaft 32 by means of a lever 66 pivoted at one end to one side of one of the members 33 of the conveyer frame and engaging the sleeve 63 and held in adjusted position by means of a curved rack bar 67 projecting from the member 33, the lever 66 engaging the teeth of the rack bar 67. The gear wheel 57 is provided with a clutch 68 with which the sleeve 63 is adapted to engage so that by throwing the sleeve 63 by means of the lever 66 into engagement with the clutch 68 the gear wheel 57 will be in operative engagement with the shaft 32 thereby transmitting the movement of the latter to the conveyer belt.

hat I claim is 1. A shock loader comprising a vehicle provided with a body, a supporting frame projecting from the forward end thereof, standards carried by said frame and having rearwardly curved upper ends which overhang said body, a conveyer frame pivotally connected. to the overhanging end of said standards and having its free portion extending through said supporting frame, means carried by the supporting frame for adjusting the free portion of the conveyer frame, said adjusting means comprising slotted guide plates carried by the undersurface of the conveyor frame, an adjust ing rod extending through said plates and provided with a hand crank, and a hand lever pivotally mounted on the frame and fastened to said crank, a conveyer carried by the conveyer frame, and means actuated by said vehicle for operating the conveyer.

2. A loader comprising a vehicle includ ing a body, a supporting frame projecting from the forward end thereof and including spaced parallel horizontal bars, standards carried by said bars, a conveyer frame formed of parallel beams having their up per ends pivotally connected to said standards, slotted guide plates carried by the undersurface of said beams, an adjusting rod extending through said plates and provided with an end crank, a hand lever carried by one of said bars and fastened to said crank, rollers carried by said rod and engaging the edges of the slotted portions of said plates, a conveyer in the conveyer frame, and means for operating said conveyer.

in testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MERTON E. WEEKS. Witnesses ALICE A. HELVIG, L. P. JOHNSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

